clinch

/klɪnt͡ʃ/

//klɪnt͡ʃ// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"clinch" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“clinch” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #19,789 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#19,789
frequency rank, English
6
letters
10
tracked misspellings
14
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To bend and hammer the point of (a nail) so it cannot be removed.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

clinch vs Clint
50% similar
clinch vs cling
67% similar
clinch vs conch
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for clinch
PropertyValue
Headwordclinch
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/klɪnt͡ʃ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#19,789
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs14
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “clinch” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). clinch lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for clinch is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /klɪnt͡ʃ/. Corpus data places it at rank #19,789 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for clinch, with forms such as "cclinch", "cilnch", and "clicnh". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 14 confusable-pair relationships, "Clint", "cling", "conch", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: 16th-century alteration of clench. The correct English form is clinch, spelled C-L-I-N-C-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    To bend and hammer the point of (a nail) so it cannot be removed.
  2. 2
    To clasp; to interlock.
  3. 3
    To fasten securely or permanently.
  4. 4
    To make certain; to finalize.
  5. 5
    To hold firmly; to clench
  6. 6
    To set closely together; to close tightly.
  7. 7
    To hold a boxing opponent with one or both arms so as to avoid being hit while resting momentarily
  8. 8
    To secure a spot (e.g., at the divisional championship) before the end of regular season play by having an insurmountable lead.
  9. 9
    To embrace passionately.

Etymology

16th-century alteration of clench.

This word in other languages

agrafer(Français)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cclinch,cilnch,clicnh,clincch,clinchh,clinhc,clinnch,cllinch,clnich,lcinch

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of clinch - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

cclinch1cilnch2clicnh2clincch1clinchh1clinhc2clinnch1cllinch1
Edit distance from "clinch"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "clinch"?
"clinch" is spelled C-L-I-N-C-H. The IPA pronunciation is /klɪnt͡ʃ/.
What does "clinch" mean?
As a verb, "clinch" means: To bend and hammer the point of (a nail) so it cannot be removed.
What words are commonly confused with "clinch"?
"clinch" is commonly confused with "Clint", "cling", "conch". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "clinch"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "clinch" is /klɪnt͡ʃ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "clinch"?
16th-century alteration of clench. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “clinch”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-L-I-N-C-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /klɪnt͡ʃ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Clint” - see the side-by-side comparison. clinch vs Clint
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list